Chinese villagers loot Adidas trainers after truck catches fire

Villagers in eastern China stole Adidas sports shoes after a truck carrying the trainers caught fire on the side of a road, according to media reports.

Overheated brakes led to a fire starting in the truck near Lingxi in Zhejiang province and the driver tried to put out the flames and save the stock of 10,000 pairs of shoes by opening the doors and pulling them out.

The driver’s hands and face were burned and he was treated in hospital, but villagers made off with some of the trainers.

No details were given of how many pairs were stolen in the incident on Saturday, but stock worth three million yuan (US$455,000) was either burned in the fire or stolen, the Modern Express reported.

Police later condemned the looters.

A statement from Wenzhou city highway police said: “What you have taken might be worth half his lifetime savings.”